Men Are Wearing Monocles Now, Apparently

Men, get it together! First, facial hair transplants; now, monocles?!?! Portlandia sketches are coming to life all over the place!

Yes, The New YorkTimesreports today that monocles are in. (You thought Jared Leto was the male fashion icon du jour? Try Mr. Peanut.) From “Berlin cafes and Manhattan restaurants” to “gin ads and fashion magazines,” the one-lensed accessory has burrowed its way into the cultural fabric, the Times posits, noting the monocle fits comfortably alongside the plaid shirts and penchant for butchering meat that are both all the rage in Brooklyn. (Better make sure to not accidentally drop your monocle in your Mason jar filled with artisanal ketchup!)

Warby Parker, the hip eyeglasses brand, now sells a monocle named “Colonel” (as in Colonel Mustard of Clue “ . . . with the can of PBR . . . at the Grimes concert!”) Additionally, a proprietor of an online store called the Monocle Shop said he has seen his sales double over the last five years. The Times quotes a “British trend forecaster” who cites a subgroup—designated “the new gents”—as the ones behind the resurgence: “All of this is part of a sense of irony and a way of discovering and displaying old artisanal and craft-based technology.” A different cultural historian notes that monocles “have always marked people out as beyond the crowd, slightly different,” which is certainly one way to put it!

The trend forecaster said he recently witnessed a group of individuals “carrying monocles along with tiny brass telescopes kept in satchels.” Though, we ask, can he be sure they weren't just extras in a Wes Anderson movie on their way to set?

Josh DuboffJosh Duboff is a VF.com staff writer, based in New York, who covers entertainment and culture.